BACKGROUND: Dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) is used to prevent adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Some patients do not respond adequately to clopidogrel. Beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF-4) can act as markers to detect platelet activation. We investigated the relationship between clopidogrel response and the dynamics of beta-TG and PF4 concentrations. METHODS: This study included 36 myocardial infarction (MI) patients, who underwent PCI and was indicated for dual antiplatelet therapy. Platelet reactivity, using the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay, was measured on the 3rd day of PCI. At the time of admission, and on the 3rd and 10th day of PCI, the plasma beta-TG and PF4 concentrations were quantified. RESULTS: Ten patients (27.8%) were clopidogrel non-responders displaying >208 P2Y12 reaction units. At the time of admission, levels of beta-TG in patients were elevated than that in the healthy controls (P<0.001). A similar trend was observed on the 3rd and 10th day of PCI (P<0.001). The beta-TG levels on the 10th day were reduced than those at the time of admission and on the 3rd day of PCI. PF4 levels were not different between patients and controls, and were not significantly reduced after PCI. Higher beta-TG levels were observed in clopidogrel non-responders on the 10th day, but not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Clopidogrel therapy in MI reduce beta-TG concentration, but the beta-TG and PF4 levels before and after therapy are not associated with the response to clopidogrel. Platelet-derived markers may not be suitable for distinguishing clopidogrel non-responders.
beta-Thromboglobulin ; Blood Platelets* ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Plasma ; Platelet Activation* ; Platelet Factor 4

BACKGROUND: Polyvinyl (PVC) plastic container plasticized with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been used for the storage of platelet concentrates for five days in Korea. Authors evaluated a second generation platelet storage container plasticized with tri (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TOTM) which was recently produced by Green Cross Medical Corp.(Korea). METHODS: 30 units of platelet concentrates were stored in TOTM-PVC container at 22'C in a flatbed agitator. Samples were taken at day 1,3,5, and 7 from the containers and tested for platelet count, MPV, PDW, pH, HCO3-,LDH, lactate, hypotonic shock response and beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG). Electron microscopic examination was also performed. RESULTS: The number and functions of platelets were well preserved during storage. pH was maintained above 6.8 and any evidence for platelet activation was minimal. CONCLUSION: The TOTM-PVC second generation platelet storage container recently produced by the Green Cross Medical Corp.(Korea) was able to preserve platelets for at least five days without significant storage lesions.
beta-Thromboglobulin ; Blood Platelets* ; Dihydroergotamine ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Lactic Acid ; Osmotic Pressure ; Plastics ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Count ; Polyvinyls

BACKGROUND: Three cell separators are being used and they collect platelets with different centrifuge speed and duration. Because centrifugation may cause platelet activation, the differences of centrifuge speed and duration are important in controlling the quality of apheresis platelet products. We compared many parameters of activation of platelets collected by Spectra (Cobe BCT, Lakewood, CO, USA), CS3000plus (Baxter Healthcare, Fenwal Division, Round Lake, IL, USA) and Mobile Collection SystemTM (MCS, Haemonetics co., Braintree, MA, USA). METHODS: Platelets were collected from ninety-five normal donors with Spectra (n=39), CS3000plus (n=19) and MCS (n=37). We underwent the procedure according to the automatic program set. We measured platelet yield and assayed pH, hypotonic shock respose (HSR), CD62 (p-selectin, GMP140) expression and beta-thromboglobulin in each stored unit on day 0 and day 3 for evaluation of the storage lesions. RESULTS: Platelet yield per product was 3.7 +/- 1.2 x 1011, mean final product volume was 316 +/- 69 mL and mean procession time was 100 +/- 19 minutes. Mean collection efficiency was 42.5 +/- 8.3%. The cell separator volume of product collected by CS3000plus was the smallest while platelet concentration and total yield were the highest in the product collected by Spectra. The pH of the products were 7.1 +/- 0.1 on day 0 and 6.7 +/- 0.4 on day 3. Hypotonic shock response was 69 +/- 13 % on day 0 and 28 +/- 17 % on day 3. P-selectin expression was 19 +/- 9 % (4.2 +/- 1.9 relative fluorescence intensity, RFI) on day 0 and 60 +/- 22 % (17.9 +/- 14.2) on day 3. beta-thromboglobulin was 28.5 +/- 7.0 IU/107 platelets on day 0 and 31.3 +/- 7.2 IU/107 platelts on day 3. The comparison of the three cell separators showed that on day 0 platelet product of MCS has lower pH and higher beta-thromboglobulin release than others (p<0.05). And on day 3 platelet product of MDS has better hypotonic shock response than others (p<0.05). Other parameters revealed no differences among three cell separators. The expression of p-selectin was shown to correlate highly with pH reduction (r=0.72), but not with the release of beta-TG (r=0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Most parameters showed no differences among three cell separators, but apheresis platelet concentrates processed by MCS showed lower pH on day 0 and higher beta-thromboglobulin concentration on day 0 and day 3 than apheresis platelet concentrates processed by Spectra or CS3000plus and hypotonic shock response on day 3 was the lowest in CS3000plus. So platelet activation produced during apheresis processing was lowest in apheresis platelet concentrates with Spectra.
beta-Thromboglobulin ; Blood Component Removal* ; Blood Platelets* ; Centrifugation ; Delivery of Health Care ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lakes ; Osmotic Pressure ; P-Selectin ; Platelet Activation* ; Tissue Donors

AIMTo report the detection in vitro of secretory inhibitor of platelet microbicidal protein (SIPMP) phenotypes of urethral isolates along with a comparison with isolates from patients with or without chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP).

METHODSUrethral isolates of Staphylococcus spp. (n=4), diphtheroids (n=28), micrococci (n=15), streptococci (n=21), Enterobacteriaceae (n=9) and Enterococcus faecalis (n=19) from patients with or without CBP were tested. SIPMP production was tested by inhibition of platelet microbicidal protein (PMP) bioactivity against Bacillus subtilis and was expressed as percentage of inhibition of PMP bactericidal activity.

RESULTSA significantly higher proportion of CBP-strains (57.78% vs. 16.67%) reduced PMP-induced killing of Bacillus subtilis than non-CBP strains did (P<0.01). SIPMP levels of staphylococci and Enterococcus faecalis from the CBP group were significantly higher than those of the control group.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that SIPMP production is associated with the CBP source. Data from the present study might have significant implications for the understanding of the pathogenesis of CBP.

Blood Bactericidal Activity ; physiology ; Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Phenotype ; Prostatitis ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Urethra ; microbiology ; beta-Thromboglobulin ; antagonists & inhibitors